Everett, WA -- Providence Regional Medical Center announced today it has received an adult Level II Trauma Center certification by the Washington State Department of Health. This certification was received after a rigorous application process and on-site clinical survey by the Department of Health. There are five levels of trauma care certification and Providence Regional is the only medical center in Snohomish County with an adult Level II Trauma Center designation.

The certification ensures that Providence Regional is equipped to handle very complex trauma patients because of the resources immediately available in the medical center. Around-the-clock general surgeons, adult and pediatric medical hospitalists, and intensivists are on site with additional standby access to all key specialties, including anesthesia, neurosurgery and orthopedics. Additionally, Providence Regional Medical Center’s emergency department with 79 beds is the largest emergency department in the state, and according to Becker’s Hospital review, one of the busiest facilities in the country, treating more patients than any other hospital in the state with nearly 100,000 visits last year.

Another factor considered in raising the trauma level designation from three to two is the new Emergency Department, which opened in 2011. It was built with four adjoining trauma rooms and a direct-access extra-large elevator system to accommodate an entire trauma team during transport from the rooftop helipad. A CT scanner and two X-ray machines were built into the Emergency Department for quick imaging access.

“Providence Regional has been operating a robust and sophisticated emergency and trauma service for several years. It’s good to now have the Department of Health’s certification to validate the great work of our physicians, hospitalist team, nurses and trauma team,” says Preston Simmons, CEO. “Our priority is to provide the highest in quality and compassionate care to patients and their families. In a trauma situation, time and distance matter. As a regional adult Level II Trauma Center, patients will receive leading-edge trauma care close to home.”

The only hospital in Washington with a higher level of acute trauma care is Harborview which has a Level I designation. Providence Regional Medical Center and Harborview are collaborating in the CIREN (Crash Injury Research Emergency Network) Study. The mission of the CIREN study is to improve the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of motor vehicle crash injuries to reduce deaths, disabilities, and human and economic costs. This data is shared with engineering teams to design safer vehicles. Providence Regional is the only hospital in the state to partner with Harborview in this important research.